Reunion Voyage: A weekend ashore in Charlevoix

Friday we took the Benzie Bus to Traverse City to pick up a rental car from Enterprise. All went well and we had a couple of hours to spend in the City before heading to Charlevoix. We went to the Villages at the Grand Traverse Commons, a remodeled mental hospital with shops, wine tasting rooms, restaurants and condominiums. We bought a bottle of local white wine from Arcturus winery, called Pinot Gris, very tastee so we bought a second bottle on the way back. We happened upon a street sale on Friday afternoon, we ate fresh white fish and a Gyos from street vendors and Carol found a neat basket for the friends we would soon visit. We arrived at Britton's Poison Point the Hugh's home about 3 and started our Reunion with Bill and Lori. We last saw them at the Gold Loopers reunion February in Ft. Myers. Lots of catching up about families and plans for the future. We drove to Charlevoix taking a cable ferry across the narrows that joins the south branch to the north branch of Lake Charleviox for supper.

More travels on Saturday first to the antique car show and flee market in Boyne City and then by boat to the Art Festival in Charlevoix by boat. The inlet to Lake Michigan flows into Round Lake that inturn flows in to Lake Charlevoix through another channel. Beautiful shore line, homes and boat houses on the lakes.

Today we slept in and had a leisurely breakfast at Darlene's in East Jordan at the end of the south branch of the lake. After saying good bye to Bill and Lori we drove to Travese City for the second bottle of wine and then on to Leland. A great little town with a waterfall from the lake to Lake Michigan, a nice marina and a historic village called Fishtown. After a stroll through the town we continued to Sleeping Bear Dunes, we tried to walk the Dune Hike but could not complete the trek, too much work, climbing dunes is hard. We were able to drive the scenic trail which provided views of the Lake and the top of the dunes.

When we arrived back at the marina, four loopers were having drinks and appetizers at one of the picnic tables. As we passed, Carol asked if they were loopers, they responded yes and asked how she could tell. Four boaters at a marina, eating, drinking and talking, odds are they are loopers. We joined them and told a few of our stories as well.